ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos have kept a key piece of their defensive line in Denver.
The Broncos have officially re-signed defensive lineman Shelby Harris to a one-year deal, the team announced Thursday.
Denver's two-year deal with tight end Nick Vannett also became official.
Harris, a sixth-year player, started all 16 games for the Broncos in 2019 and recorded a career-high six sacks. Only Von Miller (eight) and Derek Wolfe (seven) had more sacks than Harris last season.
The Illinois State product also posted 49 tackles, which led all Broncos defensive linemen.
Harris started the first five games of the season at nose tackle but shifted to defensive end after Mike Purcell entered the lineup. He recorded all six of his sacks after making the change to defensive end.
Harris' best games of 2019 likely came in Weeks 11, 15 and 17.
He recorded a three-sack game against Minnesota in Week 11, which represented a career high. Harris also added a forced fumble against the Vikings.
Four weeks later, Harris posted the second two-sack game of his career against the Chiefs.
Then, in the Broncos' season finale, Harris secured a Denver win over Oakland when he knocked down Derek Carr's pass on a two-point conversion attempt on the final play of the season.
Harris has appeared in all 48 games since signing with the Broncos ahead of the 2017 season. In his debut in Denver, Harris blocked a game-tying field-goal attempt to secure a Week 1 against the Chargers.
Prior to arriving in Denver, he spent portions of the 2014 and 2015 seasons with Oakland after the Raiders drafted him in the seventh round.
Harris' most prominent moment in Denver came in a 2018 win over the Steelers, when he dropped back off the line of scrimmage and intercepted Ben Roethlisberger in the end zone to seal a Broncos win.
He has recorded 122 tackles, 13 sacks, 16 passes defensed and the single interception during his time in Denver.
Harris is the second starter from 2019 to return the Broncos' defensive line. Denver previously placed a second-round tender on Purcell. The Broncos also traded for five-time Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey.
